Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Conformity to Sex-Typed Design in Modern Society

  • Conference paper
  • First Online:
Marketing at the Confluence between Entertainment and Analytics

  • 119 Accesses

Abstract

Considerable attention has been paid to the meaning of product-design gender cues regarding product and brand evaluations. According to self-congruity theory, the gender schema theory, as well as the product-schema congruity theory, traditional consumers react favorably toward sex- or gender-specific product attributes. On the contrary, a twist in gender roles, evolving by emancipation and continual social change, has been identified, which call these congruity assumptions firmly into question. Hence, our study concentrates on the following research question: Is stereotypic sex-typed design still a key principle generating favorable product attitudes and moreover enhancing consumer’s actual and ideal congruence with the brand and brand loyalty? Reexamining the validity of previous findings for modern compared to traditional consumers, we verified regarding the effect of sex-product-design-congruity on product evaluations and brand loyalty (a) the role of modern sex-role perceptions. Thus, this study contributes to self-congruity theory and to the field of product-schema congruity. Due to the change in gender identities, we explore the boundaries of congruency and gender schema theory with special focus on androgynous and not sex-typed consumers’ response toward sex-typed design. Thus, this study adds to state of research by proving (b) the differences in gender identities regarding sex-typed design evaluations.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 259.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 329.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 329.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  • Aggarwal, P., & McGill, A. L. (2007). Is that car smiling at me? Schema congruity as a basis for evaluating anthropomorphized products. Journal of Consumer Research, 34(4), 468–479.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Aggarwal, P., & Mcgill, A. L. (2012). When brands seem human, do humans act like brands? Automatic behavioral priming effects of brand anthropomorphism. Journal of Consumer Research, 39(2), 307–323.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ahluwalia, R. (2000). Examination of psychological processes underlying resistance to persuasion. Journal of Consumer Research, 27(2), 217–232.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Batra, R., Lehmann, D. R., & Singh, D. (1993). The brand personality component of brand goodwill: Some antecedents and consequences. In D. A. Aaker & A. L. Biel (Eds.), Brand equity and advertising (pp. 83–96). Hove: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bem, S. L. (1981a). Gender schema theory: A cognitive account of sex typing. Psychological Review, 88(4), 354.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bem, S. L. (1981b). Bem sex-role inventory: Professional manual. Palo Alto, CA: Consulting Psychologists Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Braunstein, C. (2001). Die Theorie des geplanten Verhaltens zur Erklärung der Kundenbindung–Ein nichtlineares Kausalmodell, Hochschulschrift. Doctoral dissertation. Universität Mainz.

    Google Scholar 

  • Chandler, J., & Schwarz, N. (2010). Use does not wear ragged the fabric of friendship: Thinking of objects as alive makes people less willing to replace them. Journal of Consumer Psychology, 20(2), 138–145.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Diekman, A. B., & Eagly, A. H. (2000). Stereotypes as dynamic constructs: Women and men of the past, present, and future. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 26(10), 1171–1188.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Diekman, A. B., & Goodfriend, W. (2006). Rolling with the changes: A role congruity perspective on gender norms. Psychology of Women Quarterly, 30(4), 369–383.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • England, P. (2006). Toward gender equality: Progress and bottlenecks. In F. D. Blau, M. C. Brinton, & D. B. Grusky (Eds.), The declining significance of gender (pp. 245–264). New york: Russell Sage.

    Google Scholar 

  • Epley, N., Waytz, A., Akalis, S., & Cacioppo, J. T. (2008). When we need a human: Motivational determinants of anthropomorphism. Social Cognition, 26(2), 143–155.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Firat, A. F. (1991). Consumption and gender: A common history. In J. A. Costa (Ed.), Gender and consumer behavior (pp. 378–386). Provo, UT: Association for Consumer Research.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fischer, E., & Arnold, S. J. (1994). Sex, gender identity, gender role attitudes, and consumer behavior. Psychology & Marketing, 11(2), 163–182.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fleck, N., Michel, G., & Zeitoun, V. (2014). Brand personification through the use of spokespeople: An exploratory study of ordinary employees, CEOs, and celebrities featured in advertising. Psychology & Marketing, 31(1), 84–92.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fugate, D. L., & Phillips, J. (2010). Product gender perceptions and antecedents of product gender congruence. Journal of Consumer Marketing, 27(3), 251–261.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fullerton, H. N., Jr. (1999). Labor force participation: 75 years of change, 1950–98 and 1998–2025. Monthly Labor Review, 122, 3.

    Google Scholar 

  • Grohmann, B. (2009). Gender dimensions of brand personality. Journal of Marketing Research, 46(1), 105–119.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Grubb, E. L., & Grathwohl, H. L. (1967). Consumer self-concept, symbolism and market behavior: A theoretical approach. The Journal of Marketing, 31, 22–27.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Helm, A. E., Moulard, J. G., & Richins, M. (2015). Consumer cynicism: Developing a scale to measure underlying attitudes influencing marketplace shaping and withdrawal behaviors. International Journal of Consumer Studies, 39(5), 515–524.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hende, E. A., & Mugge, R. (2014). Investigating gender‐schema congruity effects on consumers’ evaluation of anthropomorphized products. Psychology & Marketing, 31(4), 264–277.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Huberty, C. J. (1994). Why multivariable analysis? Educational and Psychological Measurement, 54(3), 620–627.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Iyer, E. S., & Debevec, K. (2015). Gender stereotyping of products: Are products like people? In Proceedings of the 1986 Academy of Marketing Science (AMS) Annual Conference (pp. 40–45). Switzerland: Springer.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lee, W. (2006). Cross-gender brand extensions: Effects of gender of the brand, gender of consumer, and product type on evaluation of cross-gender extensions. Advances in Consumer Research, 33, 67.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lieven, T., Grohmann, B., Herrmann, A., Landwehr, J. R., & Tilburg, M. (2014). The effect of brand gender on brand equity. Psychology & Marketing, 31(5), 371–385.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Neelamegham, R., & Jain, D. (1999). Consumer choice process for experience goods: An econometric model and analysis. Journal of Marketing Research, 36, 373–386.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Palan, K. M. (2001). Gender identity in consumer behavior research: A literature review and research agenda. Academy of Marketing Science Review, 10(2001), 1–31.

    Google Scholar 

  • Preacher, K. J., Rucker, D. D., MacCallum, R. C., & Nicewander, W. A. (2005). Use of the extreme groups approach: A critical reexamination and new recommendations. Psychological Methods, 10(2), 178.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rosenberg, M. (1979). Conceiving the self. New York: Basic.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sayer, L. C., Bianchi, S. M., & Robinson, J. P. (2004). Are parents investing less in children? Trends in mothers’ and fathers’ time with children1. American Journal of Sociology, 110(1), 1–43.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schmitt, B. (2012). The consumer psychology of brands. Journal of Consumer Psychology, 22(1), 7–17.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sirgy, M. J., Grewal, D., Mangleburg, T. F., Park, J. O., Chon, K. S., Claiborne, C. B., et al. (1997). Assessing the predictive validity of two methods of measuring self-image congruence. Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, 25(3), 229–241.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sirgy, M. J. (1982). Self-concept in consumer behavior: A critical review. Journal of Consumer Research, 9, 287–300.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sirgy, M. J. (1986). Self-congruity. New York: Praeger.

    Google Scholar 

  • Spence, J. T. (1984). Masculinity, femininity, and gender-related traits: A conceptual analysis and critique of current research. Progress in Experimental Personality Research, 13, 1–97.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Spence, J. T. (1985). Gender identity and its implications for concepts of masculinity and femininity. In T. Sondregger (Ed.), Nebraska symposium on motivation (pp. 59–95). Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Stern, B. B. (2015). Self-perceived sexual identity: A functional consumer model. In Proceedings of the 1987 Academy of Marketing Science (AMS) Annual Conference (pp. 69–73). Switzerland: Springer.

    Google Scholar 

  • Strauss, J. J., & Hill, D. J. (2015). Magazine readership and adult sex-role schematicity. In Proceedings of the 1995 Academy of Marketing Science (AMS) Annual Conference (pp. 43–47). Switzerland: Springer.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wylie, R. C. (1974). The self-concept: A review of methodological considerations and measuring instruments (Rev. ed.). Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ye, L., Pelton, L., & Blankson, C. (2015). An empirical investigation of gender identity on consumers’ product and brand perceptions. In Proceedings of the 2008 Academy of Marketing Science (AMS) Annual Conference (p. 191). Switzerland: Springer.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. University of Mainz, Mainz, Germany

    Frank Huber & Kerstin Strieder

Authors
  1. Frank Huber
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Kerstin Strieder
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Frank Huber .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Marketing Department, IESEG School of Management (LEM-CNRS), Lille, France

    Patricia Rossi

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2017 Academy of Marketing Science

About this paper

Cite this paper

Huber, F., Strieder, K. (2017). Conformity to Sex-Typed Design in Modern Society. In: Rossi, P. (eds) Marketing at the Confluence between Entertainment and Analytics. Developments in Marketing Science: Proceedings of the Academy of Marketing Science. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-47331-4_256

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation